Raising and lowering facilities for deep well cooker heaters



Oct. 21, 1952 w. D. KELLY ,61 ,1

RAISING AND LOWERING FACILITIES FOR'DBEP WELL COOKER HEATER Filed April16, 1949 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

W. D. KELLY Oct. 21, 1952 RAISING AND LOWERING FACILITIES FOR DEEP WELLCOOKER HEATER Filed April 16, 1949 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.zllz'azz J. We

Oct. 21, 1952 w. 0. KELLY 2,515,113

RAISING AND LOWERING FACILITIES FOR DEEP wau. COOKER HEATER Filed April16, 1949- 3 Sheets-Sheet a INVEN TOR.

Patented Oct. 21, 1952 RAISING AND LOWERING FACILITIES FOR DEEP WELLCOOKER HEATERS William D. Kelly, Western Springs, 11]., assignor toTuttle & Kift, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois IApplication April 16', 1949, Serial No. 87,875

1 claim. (o1. 219s7) 'My invention relates to a deep well cooker of thetype wherein a heater is located at the bottom of the well for heatingthe contents of apot or kettle placed in the well, and has referencemore particularly to facilities for elevationally adjusting the'heater.

Such deep well cookers are commonly used in' ranges, especially electricranges, and are usually made as a part of the range, with the wellextending downwardly'from the range top into the interior of the range.For deep well cooking, the heater is located at the bottom of the well,but experience has demonstrated that it is desirable, at times, tolocate the heater at the top of the well so that it may be used as anordinary surface heater.

However, as the well is enclosed in the range and the heater isaccessible only from the top of the well, considerable difficulty hasbeen experienced heretofore in providing satisfactory facilities forraising and lowering the heater. In Rutenber Patent No. 2,416,645, forexample, a special tool is provided to reach down in. the well andengage the heater for raising and lowering the heater.

With my invention, no such tool is required, as the well itself isconstructed: with facilities, operatively accessible at the top of thewell, above the range. top, whereby the heater is readily adjustablefrom the normal position at the bottom of the well to a: position at thetop of the well where-it may be employed as an ordinary surface heater.

My heater'adjusting facilities also provide for positioning of theheater at one or more selected elevations between the, extreme bottomand top positions of adjustment thereof.

The principal objects of my invention are, to provide a deep well cookerstructur of the above mentioned type, having improved facilities foradjusting the heater thereof to different elevations; to effect theelevational adjustment of the heater through facilities which areincorporated in the deep well cooker assembly and operatively accessibleat thetop of the well; to insure position raising and lowering of theheater without any angular or other displacement thereof which wouldcause binding or otherwise interfere with the raising and lowering ofthe heater; to insure a level disposition of the heater in all positionsof adjustment thereof; to hold the heater securely'i'n place in each ofits positions of adjustment'so that it will safely support the pot orkettle in each position; to provide a deep well cooker with severaldifferent cooking depths; to

2 provide improved facilities for. supplying electric current to anelevationally adjustable electric heater of a deep well cooker; and toavoid ex-.

posure of the current supply conductors 'to the heat within the well;these and other objects being attained as pointed out hereafter are asshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a deep well cooker constructed inaccordance with my invention and provided with. an electricheater,afragmentary portion of the range top in which the cooker islocated being also shown in said figure;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a typical. pot or cooking utensilinsertable into the range well of.

Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sideelevational-view of the pot of Fig. 2, the brokenhorizontal line about medial of. the height of said pot of Fig. 3indicating a shallower pot for which the described well is adjustable indepth;

Fig. 4 is a side view'of the deep well cooker of Fig. l with partsbroken away and in section to disclose details of constructions;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 5'-5 of Fig. 4;,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on th line 6-6=of Fig. 4 and shows the drippan and reflector of the heating unit in section in the upper positionof said unit; 1

Fig. 7 is an exploded side elevational view of the parts comprising theterminal structure of the heating unit whereby the current supplyconductors are attached to the unit; 7

Fig. 8 is anendelevational view of certain-connector parts of Fig. '7,looking in the direction of the arrows and along the line 8--8 of Fig.'I;

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the terminal block of Fig. '7looking in the direction of the arrows and along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7;and

Fig. 10 is aplan' view of the blank, in its flat form, which is bent asherein describedto form the clamping member of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 20 indicates afragmentary portion of a conventional range top with an openingtherethrough to accommodate a deep well cooker which extends downwardlywith-in the range. This range top 20 is formed, around said open' ing,with a recessed annular set 2| which supports the deep well cookerassembly as hereinafter explained. I

In general, the deep well cooker assembly cornprises three principalparts, namely, an outer cylindrical shell 22, a heating unit assemblywhich is indicated as a whole at 2'3, and is adjustable vertically inthe cylindrical shell 22, and an inner cylindrical shell 24 which islocated between the outer cylindrical shell 22 and the heating unitassembly 23 and movable circularly to effect the vertical adjustment ofthe heating unit assembly 23.

The outer cylindrical shell 22 is formed with an out-turned annularflange 25 around the top which rests in the annular seat 2| of the rangetop for supporting the deep well cooker assembly and said shell 22 ispreferably closed at the bottom, as indicated at 26.

The inner cylindrical shell 24, which extends nearly to the bottom ofthe outer shell 22, has an out-turned annular flange 21 (Fig. at the topoverlying and secured to the inwardly extending bottom flange of anangle iron ring .28 which rests loosely on the out-turned flange of theouter shell 22 whereby the inner cylindrical shell is supported forcircular movement 1:

within the outer shell 22. The bottom of the inner shell 24 ispreferably open and merely reinforced by an internal angle iron ring 29to maintain the circular form thereof and at the top thereof this innercylindrical shell 24 is provided with an inverted trough shaped ring 30with the depending outer flange 3! thereof secured to the outer side ofthe upright flange of the angle iron ring 28 and the inner dependingflange 32 thereof overhanging the interior of the fshell24 around thelatter substantially as shown in Fig. 5. I

' This inverted trough shaped ring 30 extends somewhat above the rangetop 20 as shown in Fig. 5 and has a pair of handles 33 secured thereto,respectively at diametrically opposite places as shown in Fig. l, andextending outwardly and somewhat upwardly therefrom as shown in Fig. 4,so that they may be manually engaged for adjusting the inner shell 22circularly to raise and lower the heating unit assembly 23.

The cylindrical shell 24 is sufliciently smaller than the outercylindrical shell 22 to provide an annular space therebetween toaccommodate vertically extending sheet metal spacers 34 and 35 which arearranged at intervals around the inner shell 24 and permanently securedto the outer shell 22, for example by welding, and these spacers looselyengage the inner shell 24 so that 5 the latter is free to turnconcentrically within the outer shell 22. One of these spacers, namely,the spacer 35, is formed with a channel 38 providing a vertical guidefor a purpose hereafter explained.

The illustrated heater assembly 23 comprises an electric heating unit 3iof a type commonly used in electric ranges wherein one or moreresistances are embedded in compacted insulation in a tubular metalsheath, the particular heater herein shown being similar to that ofWilliam R. Tuttle application Serial No. 611,474, with two helicalresistances 38 and a return wire 35 embedded in insulation 4% with atubular sheath 4| of generally triangular cross section throughout itsactive portion as shown in Fig. 5.

This tubular sheathed heater 3'! is of flat spiral form as shown in Fig.l, with a flat top for supporting a cooking utensil thereon, and has theinner end 42 thereof closed and the outer end arranged tangentially andat downward inclination as shown at 43 in Figs. 1, 4 and 6. Bothresistances 38 are connected to the return conductor 39. at the innerclosed end 42 of the heater and each resistance and the return conductorhas a terminal or terminal portion at the outer end extending outwardlythrough the tangential portion 43 in insulated relation from one anotherand projecting beyond the outer end of the tubular sheath 4! asindicated at 38a, 38a and 35a in Figs. 7 and 8. Preferably thetangential portion 43 of the heater is circular in cross section for areason hereinafter explained, instead of the triangular cross sectionalform of the spiral or active portion of the heater.

This heater 3! is .rnounted in the top of a combination reflector anddrip pan 44 which has a wide rim 45 around the top extending outwardlynearly to the surrounding inner cylindrical shell 22 within which thereflector and drip pan 44 is free to move up and down, and the wide rim45 terminates in a down-turned marginal flange 46, as shown in Fig. 5.It is to be noted in said Fig. 5 that the diameter of the openingthrough the ring 30 at the top of the inner shell 22 is less than theoutside diameter of the rim 45 of the pan 44 so that the ring 30overhangs the margin of the rim 45 when the pan 44 is in the elevatedposition shownin Fig. 5.

The pan 44 has a bearing 41 secured thereto as at 48 and extendingthrough its side wall in suitable tangential relation and at a suitableinclination to pivotally encircle the inclined tangential outer end 43of the heating unit 3'! when the latter is disposed in level position atthe top of the pan 44, and thus provides a pivoted connection of theheater with the pan which permits the heater to be swung upwardly fromits normal level portion to an upright position so as to afford accessto the interior of the pan 44 for cleaning.

For supporting the heater 3! in the level utensil supporting position,the pan 44 is provided with a spider 49 upon which the heater 3'! restsin the downturned closed position. This spider 49, which is shownyhereinas a sheet metal stamping, is preferably removable from the pan 44 andmay be loosely supported therein on ledges 58 pressed inwardly from thepan wall at suitable intervals therearound to receive the outer ends ofthe spider arms 5! thereon.

When the heater assembly 23 is in the uppermost position of adjustmentin the range well as shown in Fig. 5, wherein it serves as a surfaceheater, the top of the heater 3! should be above the level of thesurrounding ring 30 of the inner cylinder 24 and accordingly the bearing48 and spider 43 are located at such elevation with respect to the topof the pan 44 that in the upper position of the heater assembly, whichis indicated at 23 in Fig. 4, the top of the heater 3! is slightly abovethe top of the ring 30 as shown in Fig. 5.

For supporting the heater assembly 23, the pan 44 has three outwardlyextending brackets 52 secured thereto at intervals of about degreestherearound, and each bracket has a pin 53 secured thereto whichprojects radially outward mm the outer end of the respective bracket andcarries a roller which projects through one of three similar slots 54 inthe cylindrical wall of the inner shell 24.

Two of these rollers, which are indicated at 55, (Fig. 5) merely extendthrough the respective slots 54 whereas the other roller, which isindicated at 55, projects through its respective slot and into theguideway 36 of the spacer 34 on the outer shell 22. and thereby preventsrotational movement of the heater assembly 23 The three slots 54 arealikezandarranged at 120 degree intervals around the-inner shell 24 andextend substantially spirally as shown in 1 Fig, .4 so that when theinner cylindrical shell 24 isfrotatedj, said slots,bytheirengagementwith the rollers 55 and 530i the non-rotatable heaterassembly 23,1,raise or' lower said assemblmin the vvell structure,dependingupon the direction of rolt'atlonof th 'inner' shell 24. 5 1

Thus by proper extent of rotation of theinner shell 24, the heaterassembly 23 may be adjusted to any selected elevational position withinthe well structure.

' However, as the elevational adjustment of the heater assembly 23 maynot be sufliciently secure in some cases when the rollers and 56 aresupported on spiral or inclined positions of the slots 54, especiallywhen a heavy load is supported on the heater 31, and the heater assemblymight become accidentally displaced from the selected elevated position,I prefer to provide the slots54 with formations which will positivelyhold the heater assembly at those elevations where it is generallydesired to adjust theassembly in the well.

Thus each slot 54 is provided at its upper end with a horizontalextension 58 in which the respective rollers 55 and 56 engage when theheater assembly is elevated to its uppermost position in the well, asshown in Fig. 5 and at 23 in Fig. 4, wherein the heater 3! is positionedto be used as'a surface heating unit. Inasmuch as the bottom supportingedges of the slot extensions 58 are horizontal, the heater assembly 23has no tendency to become displaced from the elevated position and isthus safely retained in that elevated position.

No such safeguarding means is required at the lower end of the slot 54to prevent such accidental displacement of the heater assembly from thelowermost position, indicated at 23a in Fig. 4, in the well, but it ispreferred to provide each slot 54 at the lower end also with ahorizontal extension 59 in which the rollers 55 and 56 engage when theheatin assembly is in the lowermost position 23a in the well.

Generally, for deep well cooking, .the heater is positioned at thebottom of the well and a pot or kettle is employed, such as shown at 60in Fig. 3, of such length that it rests on the heater at the bottom ofthe well, but in some cases it may be desirable to employ a shallowerpot or pan, such as'indicated at 6| in Fig. 3, or substantially half thedepth of the well.

In order to retain the heating assembly 23 at the half way elevation,indicated at 23b'in Fig. 4, each slot 54 is correspondingly offsetintermediate of its length to provide a horizontal portion 62 forsupporting th rollers 55 and 56 at the half way level to preventaccidental displacement of the heating assembly 23 at the intermediateposition 23b. This horizontal offset 61,

has an appreciable effect in the raising and lowering operation of theheater whereby the half way level is readily ascertained.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the heater assembly23 is in the bottom 110- sition 23a, it may be readily adjusted fromthat tween the top and bottom of'thewell.

The pot used with this deep well cooker pref;-

erably has a pair of handles 63 pivoted thereto so that theynormally.lie'flatiand may be turned upwardly? for convenientlylifting: thepottxand also to Ipermit:convenientmovement.;of thezhane dles: 33 pastthese: handles 33.

The tangential outer end 43 of theheating unit:

31 is'of such length to project outwardly through the shells 24 and 22to the exterior of the latter and the outer shell 22 is accordinglyprovided with a vertical slot 64 through which said end 43 extends andof suitable length to permit the necessary vertical movement of said end43 in the vertical adjustment of the heater assembly 23 in the well.

The inner shell 24 also has a slot through which said heater end 43extends, said slot which is indicated at 65, being of the same spiralform as the slots 54 and with horizontal end extensions corresponding tothe end extensions 58 and 59 of the slots 54 and with a midwayhorizontal offset 66 corresponding to the midway offsets 62 of the slots54 so as to permit free vertical movement of said heater end 43,corresponding to that of the heater assembly 23, as the inner shell 24is rotated.

Current is supplied to the heating unit 31 through flexible conductorswhich are connected to the terminals 33a and 39a of the heating unit atthe out end of the tangential portion 43 thereof through a fitting whichis applicable to the outer end of said portion 43 after the heating unitis installed in the well.

The fitting comprises a terminal block 61 of insulating material, forexample, porcelain, which is secured on the end of the portion 43 by aclamp 68 which encircles the outer end of the portion 43 and is clampedthereon by a clamping bolt 69. This clamp may be conveniently made froma sheet metal blank such as shown at 10 in Fig. 10, which is doubledover to provide a fold II in which the clamping bolt 69 is located, andhas a ferrule 12 secured on the outer side thereof to receive a neckportion 13 of the terminal block 62. This neck portion 13 is notched at14 for engagement by a. pin 15 passed through openings 16 of the ferrule12 to secure the neck portion 13 in the ferrule '12.

The terminal block 61 has three connections 11, recessed therein, towhich the three terminals 38a, 38a, and 39a of the heating unit 31 areattached respectively and to which the flexible current supplyconductors above mentioned are connected. One of these conductors isshown at 18 in Fig. 4.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I amaware that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principles of my invention, the scope of whic is tobe determined by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a deep well cooker of the class described, the combination of a rangetop having an opening therethrough, a double walled well enclosureextending downwardly from said open- 7 ing and composed of inner andouter cylindrical walls, the outer cylindrical wall being suspended atits upper end from the range top and held thereby against rotation, andthe inner cylindrical. wall being rotatably mounted within' the outercylindrical wall, and a heater which is located within and raised andlowered by ro-' a vertical channel into which one of said exten- 5 sionsprojects.

WILLIAM D. KELLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,177 Sharp Sept. 8, 1942923,224 Welch June 1, 1909 10 2,416,645 Rutenber Feb. 25, 1947 2,481,227Kuenne Sept. 6, 1949 2,497,258 Chesser' et al. Feb. 14, 19 50,

Tuttle May 2, 1950

